


No Cameras Near

by hollie443



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AU, F/M, Forbidden Love, PA AU, musician au, musician/pa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:20:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26157169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollie443/pseuds/hollie443
Summary: Rey is P.A to Ben Solo (AKA Kylo Ren), a musician and a bit of a party boy. After he loses his passport Rey finds herself having to drive from Chicago to Atlanta to get to the first date of the tour, and pick up the new passport on the way. It should be an easy task right? Not for Rey since she's been battling her feelings for the bad boy musician.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 5
Kudos: 93





	No Cameras Near

Rey was tired. She had been driving for hours on end, having left Chicago at around 8am. It was supposed to be around 6am but her charge, Ben, wouldn’t drag his ass out of bed. Her grip tightened at the wheel as sat forward, determined to keep her focus on the road. 

She had been Ben’s Personal Assistant for a few weeks which, according to the guys, was the longest stint for a PA in a while. But, it didn’t mean it was a walk in the park; she found she had to treat most of them like they were the toddlers she used to nanny. The no nonsense approach to making sure Ben, AKA Kylo Ren, get to the places he needed to be on time, wasn’t always popular but at least it got the job done. It was a rocky start when it came to Rey’s friendship with Ben; to begin with, she was only doing the job strictly for a week until there was a replacement. And for the first few days, she and her charge were constantly bickering whenever they had a spare moment. Eventually what brought them to the position of driving down the country, was a late night cigarette and they realised they weren’t so different after all. Since, then they fell in sync with each other… and dare she say she felt something for him? 

So there they were, driving down a highway in North Carolina, on their way to Ben’s first show of his North American tour. Of course Ben had lost passport for the umpteenth time and with no form of ID, he could hardly embark on a tour without it. And since he didn’t have a driver’s licence, surprise surprise, he needed someone to drive him to D.C and on to the location of the first show on tour. Rey was unanimously nominated to drive the 6’ 4 musician, since everyone else was hardly going to give up their business class domestic flight ticket to sit in a car with him. They  _ claimed _ it was because she was the only one able to put up with him for long periods of time but she knew the real real reason. Plus, it was hardly like she could say no; shit like this was technically her job anyway. 

The hours in D.C meant night had fallen and she was now no longer on the interstate. Instead, she had found herself on a road she assumed would have been the main one before the highways. But now? Well now it was deserted and it definitely looked as though Rey had made a wrong turn somewhere. Her phone had long since died and she had no idea where her AUX cable was. Ben, from the sound of shallow breathing, had dozed off a while ago despite telling her he would try to stay awake to keep her company. She hadn’t expected him to so she wasn’t pissed. But it did little to help the situation; all she could do was keep driving until the passed through a town of sorts and they could stop for her to get her bearings. 

A buzzing down in the footwell of Ben’s seat caught Rey’s attention, she turned her head as she realised his phone must still have some life in it. After a quick glance at the road ahead and noting there wasn’t a car in sight, she leaned over, careful to keep the steering wheel steady. She couldn’t have taken her eyes off the road for more than a few seconds when all hell seemed to break loose.

“Holy shit! Look out!” Ben’s voice jolted through the car, making Rey whip her head up and slam on the breaks. The car’s back end lost grip on the road, sending them spinning in a circle and out onto the other lane of the, luckily, deserted road. The car finally came to shaky halt and was now facing in the other direction. Out of the corner of her eye Rey saw rapid movement and bushes were now swaying from a set of antlers disappearing into the night.  _ Fucking deer _ , she thought to herself as she sat there. But no words came to her, the shock knocking her into stunned silence. What if Ben hadn’t warned her? Would they both be dead in a ditch right now? She was fully prepared for a reprimand, and she would have completely deserved one, but none came. 

“Rey, are you okay?” His voice broke through the silence they had both been stunned into, making her twitch a little. Her mouth opened and closed but still no sound came out as she struggled to even process the notion of words. 

“Hey Rey.... look at me,” she felt Ben’s hand on her face as he turned her head to look at him, “You’re okay.”

His voice was affirmative and left little room for argument. It wasn’t like she could anyway since he was right; they were unharmed but at what cost? Both their nerves were shot for sure. His thumbs gently moved over her cheeks, bringing her mind back to life. 

“Fuck… I’m sorry,” she choked out, her throat thick with emotion despite the absence of tears frightened away by the shock. 

“Don’t apologise… it was an accident; you couldn’t have predicted a fucking deer would jump out right as you turned your head,” he soothed her softly. The care Ben was taking with his PA was shocking to her; she had expected him to at least flip out over the fact they both could have died. But what this  _ did _ make her realise was how death always seemed close to him. It made the lyrics  _ I got death in my pocket and nothing but time _ , all too real. That was the difference between her and Ben: they looked at danger in very different ways. 

“I… I think we’re lost and I just wanted to get your phone… mine died and I couldn’t find the AUX cord,” she was babbling as she knew it but there was no way to get everything out without having some overflow of emotion. Either that or she would get out of the car and run into the forest, never to be seen again. 

“Okay fuck that.” Ben still had one hand on her face as he used the other to unclip his seatbelt. What in the name of Jesus was he doing? 

“What?” Rey asked eventually, curiosity pulling her out of her shock at least a little. 

“We’re not going to Atlanta tonight. Come on switch places with me; I’ll drive.” There was no real room for argument as the door was open and he prepared to get out.

“Okay, hold the fuck up,” she stammered out, making him turn back to look back at her. 

“What is it?” The question held a tone of innocence as though he hadn’t thought of any of the major issues with his plan. 

“Okay one: we do need to get you to Chicago and it would be better tonight since you can rest there. And two: you got your licence taken from you remember? You can’t drive. That’s the whole point we had to drive to get your damned passport!” She let out a huff, hitting one of her hands off the steering wheel in protest. Not really at him but more because she knew she was in no fit state to drive after seeing her life flash before her eyes. 

Ben seemed to work out exactly what she was thinking because he was out of the passenger side and sliding across the hood in a manner only he could get away with. She still hadn’t moved as he opened the car door and knelt down so he was eye level with her. 

“Sometimes you gotta break a few rules if you want something done. Come on, we’re going to find the closest fucking motel and crash for the night.” He leaned over Rey to take off her seatbelt and she swung her legs around having gave up on the idea she would win. His hand was on her elbow to steady her as she stood up. It honestly felt as though she had just walked forty miles in the desert with barely any water; her body completely drained. Though her dignity wanted to protest at him walking around with her, she considered it ironic she barely had the energy. Dignity could wait. 

“I swear if we get pulled over, you’re on your own,” she grumbled as she prepared for the, hopefully, short drive. 

“Yeah yeah, I get it; I’ll just flash them a charming smile and we’ll be let off,” he smirked, obviously trying to lighten the mood somewhat but considering Rey felt like she almost killed them, it fell a little flat. 

“Just drive.” 

As they drove, Rey felt herself begin to at least come out of her mood a little. She just stared out at the trees but didn’t feel like she might just dissolve into tears. Of course this road had pretty much been deserted since she ended up on it and now Ben was driving, it showed little signs of changing. Even though he wouldn’t bring it up, it was too much of a risk to attempt to get all the way to Chicago; if they hit the highway there would be a chance of police presence. She couldn’t help but note his driving; he wasn’t being the usual speed demon she knew him to be when he got behind the wheel. There had been any times when Rey thought she was going to die prematurely in the passenger seat when he was driving. Not today though. She knew given the fact she was pretty shaken up, he was being extra careful and since she could see his glances out of the corner of her eye, it was confirmed. 

She let her eyes drift closed just as she felt the car begin to slow down. Rey cracked one eye open and practically saw the wheels in Ben’s head turning.

“What’s wrong?” Her question was filled with curiosity more than concern. It was unusual to see him debate about any decision like he was now; he typically was an act now think later sort of guy. 

“That’s a motel coming up,” he informed her as he squinted ahead. Rey didn’t turn her attention to look, just keeping her eyes on him for the time being; it was an easier thing to focus on. 

“Well, that’s good right? You said we’re going to find the closest one.” A frown crossed her face as she looked at him, wondering why all of a sudden his confidence in the plan was shot. 

“Yeah but I had less of a  _ you’re not going to make it through the night without getting murdered  _ sort of a vibe in mind,” he grumbled under his breath, clearly surveying the prospective sleeping arrangements for the night. 

“Ben, don’t be dramatic with the ideas otherwise I’m going to ban you from smoking weed.” Rey’s tone was low as she stared at him with a gaze that could probably burn a hole in the side of his head. She still didn’t have the courage to look around and see what was making this notion go through his head. 

“You wouldn’t! And it’s a legit concern;  _ look! _ ” Ben gasped at the notion of no weed before almost backing up her argument and dramatically pointing towards the offending building. Giving a sigh of annoyance, she turned and was met with an old, rundown building. The windows looked like they hadn’t seen anything but rainwater in years… the sign for the motel flickered and flashed as though it would explode at any given second. 

“... Okay, you have a fair point,” Rey conceded on this occasion. At this rate she was going to refuse to be even sleep in a separate room from him. 

“Fucking told you,” he smirked not only his victory but at the fact she had no real leg to stand on as she continued to look at their potential home for the night. 

“So… what are we going to do?” she asked eventually, not liking the other alternatives that were going through her head; either sleep in the car or keep driving down the deserted road until something else came up. 

“Well, I’ll take off my shirt and hopefully they’ll be intimidated by the tattoos and not try to kill us,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood. 

“You’re ridiculous.” She slapped his arm as she came to sit in a more upright position but she couldn't help the giggle escaping from her lips. 

“But you love it.”Ben nudged her back with his arm, a softer smile now present on his face. Every so often it always amazed her how this sort boyish charm could shine through the tough guy exterior. In a way it made her more genuine with him whenever he showed that side of him to her. 

“Well I will admit it makes my days a little bit better.” Rey tilted her head to the side, pretending she had only just realised now when in reality, she knew it ever since they first stopped arguing. 

“That might be the first genuine compliment you’ve given me," he informed her with a chuckle and she couldn't help but wonder if it really was the case. 

“Don’t get used to it… I’m still considering killing you for losing your passport.” She shot back to him with her signature quick-fire responses. His passport was already tucked away in her handbag since she was now taking it upon herself to guard it with her life. 

Ben laughed as he turned into the parking lot of the motel, clearly having decided to take the risk on the fact there would be a bed in there. 

Once they were parked, Rey climbed out of the car and stretched her aching limbs. She knew they wouldn’t have been half as sore if she hadn’t tensed everything up when she hit the breaks. Ben was already at the trunk, picking up their luggage since she refused to check luggage on a flight she wasn’t getting on herself. For some reasons she just believed it would end up in Timbuktu. 

“I can get mine,” she told him as she reached for her backpack containing a change of clothes so she didn’t have to dig through her big suitcase. 

“Nah, I got it.” Ben insisted as he slung both bags over his shoulder, closing the trunk and leaving their larger luggage there. 

“You sure?” she asked him with a frown, not wanting him to feel as though he had to just because she was still wallowing in the fact she almost killed them both of them. 

“I’m a gentleman Rey, I’m not going to let you carry your backpack,” he teased her, chucking as he locked the car and they began walking to the entrance. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes for the umpteenth time since they began this trip. 

“Only when it suits you.” she mumbled, just loud enough to ensure he heard her.

“I’m going to dump both these bags on you,” he nudged her with his elbow as they stepped into the building. 

“Kidding, kidding. I promise,” Rey laughed as she followed in behind him. 

The pair of them were both hit with the unmistakable musty smell of a place that hadn’t changed in over 60 years. Her eyes roamed over the walls, noting the black and white photos; one of what looked like a WWII Pilot. She couldn’t help but stare up at it while Ben went forward to arrange the rooms. She tuned out everything around her as she let her gaze move over all the memorabilia of a bygone era. 

“Sweetheart, could you come over here for a second?” Ben’s voice cut through her concentration and the use of a pet name made her whip her head around to look at him. The shock was what made her move over without much of a protest but it didn’t stop a quizzical look from crossing her face. 

“Yes?” Rey voice was a decibel higher than normal since she was genuinely curious about what on earth Ben had done to warrant him to call her  _ sweetheart.  _

“I was just telling Gertrude here how we’re on our honeymoon and we’re going to road trip up to Illinois and then across the northern states to Washington,” he backed up what he was saying by slinging an arm around her shoulders and giving her ponytail a little tug to adjust her gaze. Right as she was about to protest he had lost his marbles, she saw the wooden cross above the old lady’s head. Oh god, the idiot had panicked before she could get there, now she had to play along lest the woman think they were heathens. 

“Oh right, yes; we just got married last m-”

“Week!”

“Last week, right… Sorry it’s all been such a whirlwind. It feels like we’ve known each other forever.” Rey’s lies were far better than she had first thought they were going to be. She moved her hand up to entwine her fingers with Ben’s, putting on a big smile that painted the impression of a blissfully happy wife… but it also would tell Ben she was going to  _ murder  _ him when they were alone. 

“Oh how nice, you two must be excited for your lives together. It the last room but the room with the cosiest bed and the furthest away from reception,” Gertrude winked almost dramatically as she handed her the key. 

Both of them turned and, knowing they had to keep up the pretence, Rey waited for him to collect the bags again before taking his hand to exit. 

“Care to explain to me what the fuck just happened in there?!” She hissed and threw his hand away from her once the door was closed and they were making their way to their  _ only _ room. 

“I panicked and it spiralled okay?!” Ben protested, holding his arms up as though he was completely innocent. 

“Spiralled?! It fucking exploded!” This time it was her arms above her head, waving as they imitated an explosion of great magnitude. 

“She told me there was only one room and if it was going to be for me and my wife! Then she gave me this judgy look okay?!” She could tell just from his answer that he genuinely did panic and it was how they ended up married for a week and on their honeymoon. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly why she was angry about what could arguably be Ben’s quick thinking. 

“You are  _ Kylo Ren!  _ When have you  _ ever  _ cared about what other people think of you?!” Her protest was shrill as they walked through the dark, their shadows cast out from the glow of light from the sparsely placed outdoor lamps. Rey walked a good few steps in front of him so he couldn’t see her face. Her conflicted face. 

“I do care when it’s an old woman from butt fuck nowhere!”

“You are impossible! This is why I do the talking! So we don’t end up in these situations; we don’t even have alcohol to deal with this shitshow!” she snapped at him as they finally got to their room door. True enough; it was further away than any other room in the small complex. 

Once the key unlocked the door, Rey shoved it open and entered the room. Gertrude wasn’t joking; it was  _ small. _ There was an ancient TV set in the corner with a sofa that would be lucky to fit both of them... AKA: someone’s bed for the night. 

“I’m not that bad!” Ben’s words came out less of a protest and more of a concern. Did he really care about what she thought  _ that  _ much? It was a question she wasn’t sure she really wanted the answer to. 

“It’s not that; it’s the fact people are going to talk… because that’s what they do when women are with you; they talk! It would a gossip column’s wet  _ dream _ !” Rey emphasised the last word by kicking off her converse in a temper.

“Wow… tell me how you really feel. Why are you so touchy about it anyway? We got a room so we can at least sleep.” Rey noted the hurt in his voice but tried to push it to the back of her mind because if she let it get the better of her… well she might just tell him how she really  _ did  _ feel. 

“Everything is so fucking difficult with you!” She shook her head as she spoke, not giving him a real answer as she turned her face away from his gaze. The entire room felt as though it was half the size it was as she stood beside the bed.

“Still doesn’t answer my question,” Bens murmured as he looked at her, the tone having lost any hint of an argumentative tone. The only thing left in it was concern, and a kindness she was beginning to think was only reserved for her. Rey couldn’t bear the fact he wasn’t even angry at her for saying those things, all he cared about was what drove her to say them… what was under it all. It made her heart heave. 

“I’m going for a shower,” she whispered as she turned and walked into the minuscule bathroom before he could stop her and actually get an explanation. 

“Rey! Wai-” She slammed the door, cutting off whatever he might have been ready to say. There was no way she could make eye contact with him right now. No, if she did  _ that,  _ then she would have to face the truth. Rey turned the water on and sat down on the edge of the tub. The splashing drowned out anything going on with Ben in the bedroom but it did little to quieten her own thoughts as she realised why she was so angry at him. It was because she wasn’t really angry at all; she  _ wanted _ to be a couple walking in on a trip away together with him. She wanted to blush when Gertrude told them she gave them the room furthest away. She wanted to take his hand and walk with him like it was the most natural thing in the world. She was angry because he had dangled the thing she had subconsciously wanted for weeks but was too oblivious to admit. This wasn’t his fault and her own pride would stop her from admitting how she felt.  _ Pride comes before the fall, _ she thought to herself as she stood up, finally undressing and stepping into the shower. She was realising that if she wasn’t at least a little upfront with Ben then she’d single handedly ruin the genuine friendship they’d built. It meant more to her than her job as his PA and she was sure the feeling was mutual. She couldn’t lose something she cherished so much. 

The lukewarm water hit her body and she let out a soft sigh, feeling at least a little tension leave her. She glanced around and was relieved to see there were little shampoo and shower gel bottles placed neatly in the corner of the tub she stood in. Rey decided to wash her hair since it would add on a few extra minutes before she had to go out and face the music. 

Around fifteen minutes later, she stood on the bathmat in front of the mirror releasing she had made a grave mistake. Her pyjamas were in her suitcase, in the car.  _ Motherfucker. _ She was faced with a dilemma; she could walk out in the towel and admit she needed something to wear.  _ Or… _ she could just get changed back into her clothes she wore all day and sleep in those. She chose the latter. 

She gave her teeth a quick brush with the disposable toothbrush and the little toothpaste provided before taking a huge deep breath and walking out. 

Ben was sitting on the side of the bed nearest the door reading one of his comics he brought along. Rey stood in the doorway for a split second, watching as his muscly frame lay sprawled on the bed. Right as she was about to settle in to enjoy the view, his eyes flicked up to her and set all those previous feelings spasming inside her. 

“You’re still in your clothes?” he asked her with a surprised expression as Rey’s shoulders slumped slightly in defeat.

“I left my pyjamas in the car,” she told him after a moment, knowing there was no way in hell she was going to be leaving the room to get them. 

“Here, use my t-shirt.” Ben stood up from the bed and immediately took off the one he was wearing, holding it out to her. 

“No no, it’s fine; I’ll sleep in my clothes.” She held up her hands like the material would burn her if she let it touch her. But in reality, all she wanted was to take it from him and breath in the cologne and hint of cigarettes she knew would be there. Though her protest had him screwing up his face in completele confusion. 

“Don’t be fucking stupid. It’s never comfortable.” He dropped the t-shirt by his side as he looked at her, like he was trying to read her thoughts and work out what the fuck was going on in her head. The thing was, she was so used to being around him but when  _ other people _ were around too. But here, in this motel, they were as alone as they ever would be. 

“I’ll take my chances.” 

“Okay whatever, I’m going to shower,” Ben snapped at her, his patience fraying for the first time as he dumped the t-shirt on the back of the couch. Despite completely deserving his tone, she visibly flinched and as she heard the door of the bathroom slam closed, it seemed to knock some sense into her. 

Rey picked up the item of clothing and brought it to her nose, the familiar smell of him filling her nostrils. He always managed to keep a scent that was undeniably him. After a moment of just standing there holding it, she dropped it on the sofa and carefully stripped out of her clothes. Soon, his t-shirt was on her body; it came to mid-thigh on her petite frame and luckily covered everything she required. 

After folding her clothes and setting them next to her backpack, she turned and pulled the spare blanket from a shelf with the intent of trying to get comfortable on the tiny couch. Even for her, she knew it would be a stretch to have anything close to a good night’s rest. 

The water in the shower turned off just as she was trying to get settled on the sofa and Ben emerged as she pulled the blanket over her body. 

A still silence fell over the room and Rey was very aware of his eyes on her as he stood in the room. 

“Rey… what are you doing?” he asked her as though he just wanted to check his eyes were not deceiving him. 

“Getting ready to sleep,” she replied like being in the fetal position on a tiny couch was completely normal. 

“No, I mean; what are you doing cramped on the sofa? We can just share the bed you know… we can put a pillow between us if you’re that worried I’d touch you,” his voice faltered towards the end as he realised how she might look at him. 

“I would never think that of you Ben.” Rey sighed, shaking her head at even the notion anyone would think that about him. 

“Well then why are you curled up there?! Did I really upset you that much earlier?! Is that what this is about?” He began to raise his voice as he stood there, willing her to look at him. His frustration was clear and she knew it was hard for him to see her put the coldest between them.

“No… not it’s not.” She didn’t have the heart to lie to him, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth right now either. 

“Well then what is it Rey? Because I’m struggling to understand why you’re like this all of a sudden.” His hands rested on the back of the couch, desperate to reach out to touch her… to coax her to look at him and tell him what was wrong. He liked how close they had grown. More than she knew

“It’s nothing. Just leave it.” She huffed, squeezing her eyes closed to keep herself from giving in. 

“It’s clearly not nothing… just talk to me Rey. Please tell me how to fix it.” This time he couldn’t help himself; he reached out to gently touch her shoulder and heard the soft intake of breath when he did it. Maybe it would get through it her.

“I said leave it!” Her voice cut him like a knife and it was closely followed by a violent shrug of her shoulders in order to break contact

“Fuck! I don’t know why I keep trying. Maybe I should save myself the trouble and look for another P.A. One that doesn’t think shit about me!” 

The pain she felt as he said those words made her sit up, but all she saw was a flurry of movement and Ben was leaving the room in nothing but his boxers and a pack of cigarettes. The cool air hitting her face told her he wasn’t going to be gone too long since the night was chilly. Then again, he was from Chicago; those fuckers were hardy. 

Rey sat up and looked at the door, debating whether or not she should go after him. She decided against it even though she realised how much she wanted to, it might just make matters worse. Instead, she stood up and made her way to switch off the lights and then turned on the lamp by the bed for Ben coming back from wherever he was. All she knew was if he strayed too far he was going to give Gertrude a heart attack when she sees his attire. She supposed she’d hear about it tomorrow morning if he was seen. She could feel emotion building in her chest at the thought of not seeing him everyday and if she was honest, she couldn’t even think of it. Because she meant what she said to him back in the car; he did make her day better and she didn’t want to have to work somewhere where he wasn’t around. Despite the events of tonight, they worked well together and were like Ying and Yang. 

Within minutes she had laid back down on the sofa and closed her eyes. Maybe she could sleep and apologise in the morning. But sleep was far off and any prospect of dozing off evaporated when she heard the door creak open not twenty minutes later. Again the coward in Rey won over and she squeezed her eyes closed as he locked the door after closing it. 

“Rey?” his voice was barely over a whisper as he came to the couch, “Rey? Are you awake?” 

She didn’t answer, she simply kept her concentration on keeping her breathing level and not hyperventilating. After a few moments, she heard him move away from the couch and him cursing under his breath. The sound of the sheets rustling signalled to her that Ben was in the bed and for some reason it made her heart rate pick up. She knew he had asked her if she was awake because he wanted to apologise and she couldn’t let him be the first one to say it, not when what he said was completely warranted. She was going to apologise first. Not a moment later the lamp went out and the room was plunged into darkness. 

Rey didn’t know how long she lay there, staring at the red standby light on the TV but after a while, she sat up and looked over at the bed. She could only see the vague suggestion of a silhouette in the bed but she got the feeling that he was as awake as she was. 

It took another few minutes of telling herself not to be a pussy when she eventually stood up and made her way over to the bed. She pulled back the blankets on the unoccupied side and slide under, her body immediately feeling the relief of being able to stretch out in a horizontal position. She stared up at the ceiling as she felt the bed move and Ben’s body turn over to face her, but still he remained silent. There was a part of her beginning to think he really was asleep. 

“Ben?” she whispered in the darkness as she turned to face him and brought her hand up to gently stroke his cheek, “Are you awake?”

For a good few seconds there was nothing but silence so she sighed and went to move her hand from his cheek, only to have his larger hand catch it. 

“That feels nice,” he murmured, his voice crossing the darkness toward her. It brought a smile to her face as she spoke. 

“Ben… I- I’m sorry for what I said you and how I spoke… it wasn’t fair,” she had to get her apology out before he was the one apologising like she knew he would. 

“No no, you don’t need to apologise; I shouldn’t have-” But Rey cut him off before he could finish. 

“No, I  _ do _ need to apologise and you don’t. I snapped at you and I also projected my own insecurities about how I felt into the situation. So I’m sorry and if you still want to look for another PA then I would understand,” she whispered to him.

“I didn’t think of replacing you for a moment,” Ben admitted to her as he rolled back onto his back before turning his head back to look at her, “Wait, you said about how you  _ felt _ . Felt about what?” 

There it was, her window and what also might be her only chance to admit her feelings without being able to see him properly. Now her eyes had adjusted in the dark, she could see his body but not his features. 

“About you.” Her answer was simple and didn’t come out like the rush she thought it would. She was nervous but lying next to him weirdly seemed to calm her. 

“... How do you feel about me Rey?” Ben’s voice was soft and encouraging. He wanted her to be truthful about all the things going on in her mind. Probably because he knew there would never be another chance to say them when they were completely alone. 

“Like I really wanted to be the couple who walked in the door of this motel looking for a place to stay before they continued on their road trip to Washington.” So there it was, finally out in the open. Rey felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders by finally saying the words but she also knew if he didn’t feel the same, she’d be leaving her post imminently. 

“That’s why you were angry?” he questioned. 

“Yes… because it was so close to what I knew I couldn’t have.” Dear god, she hoped she wasn’t going to regret being so candid with him. She couldn’t help but think of all the obstacles in their paths regardless of how he felt. She had heard about the women he had dated in the past, women who were used to being in the public eye and who were able to handle it. She was just his PA. A walking cliché and someone who could crumble under the pressure of everything dating Ben would entail. But there was a small voice at the back of her mind telling her she could handle it as long as she was with him. 

“Why not? Why not when I feel the same way?” 

“Because- wait...you…  _ what? _ ” The shock was obvious in her voice, her jaw slack as she stared at the vague outline of his eyes. Rey was sure she just imagined his response and what he really said was what she expected. 

“Don’t you see Rey?… God you came into my life like a fucking guardian angel and just fixed the little bits that needed attention but you still let me be  _ me. _ Do you know how rare that is? It would be impossible not to fall in love with you”. Rey could hear the slight emotion in Ben’s voice as he made his admission to her. Slowly, she reached up and stroked his cheek again, letting her fingers move over his cheekbones gently. 

“You love me?” she asked him quietly. 

“Yes… I may have panicked earlier because of judgy Gertrude but the fact is I wanted to just pretend we had something like that… even if it was just in the eyes of someone else. And when I felt you lace your hands with mine, I just wanted it to be real.” 

Rey didn’t have a response, not right away. Instead, she just leaned in and kissed him. It was a simple lip graze but it was enough for Ben who immediately moved back in for another kiss, turning onto his side as he did. Their lips remained attached as she moved her hands into his hair, all the while he was pulling her closer to him so there was no air between them. It was hard for her to believe they were together in bed and kissing. And it  _ felt  _ like the most natural thing in the world. Rey broke their kiss before it went any further, knowing if one of them didn’t then there would be no stopping for the night. 

“Me too,” she whispered as her fingers trailed gently down his tattooed back. 

“Huh?” The noise that left his lips to question what she said was very clearly from someone who was drunk on what had just occurred. Rey couldn’t say she blamed him; she felt the same. 

“Me too. I wanted it to be real and also to the other thing you said.”

“Can you be more specific? I said a lot of things,” he teased her, nuzzling the side of her face with his nose. 

“I love you too… probably from the moment I first contemplated murdering you and thought I hated you,” she chuckled, the sound low since she didn’t want to break the spell seemingly cast over the room. 

“Well they do say there’s a very fine line between love and hate,” he quipped right back at her as one of his arms trailed down her side and ghosted over her bare thigh. 

“Very true… I just…” Rey cut herself off from saying any more, shaking her head. 

“What’s wrong.”

“I’m your PA. You know how people will talk…” she trailed off, chewing on her lip.

“We keep it secret for a while… I basically spend most of my waking time with you so it’s not weird.” He said it like he has thought it through before and while she wanted to believe it would work out, she couldn’t help but be apprehensive about everything this would entail. 

“I know but-” she was ready to protest only to be cut off by the sound of his voice again. 

“Come here Rey.” 

“What?” She frowned, not sure what exactly he was meaning as he moved to roll onto his back. 

“Come here.”

His arms found her again and he pulled her against him. After a moment she lay her head down on his chest and listened to his heart thudding away inside of him. 

“Let’s just sleep... forget about everything else right now.”

“Sounds good to me,” she hummed in agreement. He was right; they could worry about everything else when the morning came and they weren’t exhausted from the day. For now, they could bask in taking comfort in each other. 

“Goodnight Sweetheart.” 

“Goodnight Handsome."

**Author's Note:**

> I know I know... another musician AU. But I couldn't get enough of it the first time around and went in for more. This was originally a one-shot but if the interest is high, I may do another part! Hope you all enjoy!


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